In The (Time) Zone, by David Olle in Italy, +39 333 5959 217

Skippy report:  (from yesterday) Today we spoke to Cadel Evans, Richie Porte, Mattie Lloyd, Graeme Brown, Mat Hayman, Neil Stephens, Shayne Bannan and Martine Barras all luminaries of Australian cycling.

We also interviewed Vladimir Karpets, it went like this:
Annabelle:  Vladimir do you have time for an interview?  (asked in English)
Vladimir:   In Espanole or Italiano?
Annabelle:  In Italiano.
From then on, Annabelle asked every question in Italian, and Vladimir, the Russian, responded in Spanish.  It was weird.

With Mario Cipollini:  
Annabelle: Mario do you have time for an interview?  (asked in Italian)
Mario:  (pushes past without losing a stride and cock-rocks away into the sunset)
Annabelle:  I guess not...

Some photos here:
Mat Hayman, tired but smiling, at the end of the final stage here
Richie Porte, interview with Annabelle, The Arena, Verona here
Vladimir Karpets with our own ‘Cousin It', yes, he is tall... here
Team Topbike aperitivo in Verona here

Results
I forgot to make it clear yesterday, or rather, early this morning, after 3 weeks of race-chasing (and about 3 litres of wine, consumed during a night out in the beautiful centre of Verona) that although we did not win the overall, we won nearly everything else.  Points (sprinters) jersey - Cadel, mountain jersey - Mattie Lloyd and best young rider- Richie Porte.  Along with 3 stage wins and four days in the pink leader's jersey.  If there was a category for nations we'd have won that without a doubt.  Here's hoping we haven't peaked too early, but who says the race in July is the most important one anyway?  Give me the Giro any day, and with results like these above, life is pretty damn fine (along with fantastic coffee, gelati, grappa, carpaccio, soave,  pizza, fresh red strawberries, pizzocheri, due gusti, tagliata di manzo, grilled melanzane, zucchini, Brunello di Montalcino, gelati, Barolo, fireflies, grappa, gelati, more coffee, vino etc , etc)  

Media report:  As soon as Italy's Ivan Basso took over the lead of the Giro and donned ‘La Magila Rosa' (sic) it catapulted to the front page of the local lead sporting rag ‘La Gazetta della Sport', and also the opening story on the nightly national news, for the complete final weekend, and Monday.  I can't imagine how they (the Italians) would cope, if they had a losing streak like France (there has not been a French winner of the Tour de France for a quarter of a century now...)   

The Tour de France position, July 16-26 is now filled.